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Saturday, January 15, 2011

Mosaic Monday: Old Photographs

I find myself drawn to the old photos I come across occasionally in thrift stores and antiques shops. Who was this person? When did they live? What was their life like? I guess I'm always in search of a good story... or maybe I'm just nosy. :)

I have seen images of wedding parties that look as solemn as a funeral. I often wonder if their expressions were typical for the time in which the photo was taken, or if the newly married couple were seriously contemplating the full import of the vows they had just taken.

I have come across graduation pictures, first communions and candid shots that portray the joy of the moment in now-faded glory. Recently, I found this precious miniature in my favorite thrift shop. Judging by the beautiful case, this child was cherished. What was their life like? Who did they grow up to be? Were their later years filled with joy, or disappointment? Or both, as perhaps is true of us all.

Of course, I will never know the answers to any of my questions. And perhaps that is as it should be. Perhaps the main thing is to ask all of those questions of my own life -- to make sure I am living an examined life.

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Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.5. Click on "Enter."6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Hi MaryThe little box with the portrait does make one wonder about the young person shown in it. What a shame that the history of a family should end up in a thrift shop. The old photo looks nice displayed on your blue and white dishes.Judith

Sometimes those grim faces in photographs were by necessity -- the shutter time was so long with some of those early cameras that a "poker face" was easier for subjects to hold than a smiling face while the picture was taken.

Today's high fashion models also look grim, and they don't have as good a reason!

That little photo and locket/frame/case are amazing! I have a friend who calls these kind of collected photos "instant relatives." I like old photos no matter who they are of. I have plenty of old photos of my family hanging from my walls but I don't mind some that are just neat too. I definitely ponder the who and what, so you're not alone there!

The kind of frame/photo with the little child is called a daguerreotype. Look it up in wikipedia for info on it. They are very interesting and you would especially enjoy being a photographer. I have several from my father's family. I've also learned the reason most people did not smile in photos was because generally their teeth were not in good shape--browned and probably some missing. So they kept their mouths shut!

Interesting you and I both did posts on old family photos today! Yours are lovely with the plates! And the lighting! Have a good week.

I have always wanted one of those little leather frames! And I am borderline obsessed with old photos! I once found a entire lot that had obviously come from an estate sale...it made me so sad that I had to hunt the family down...I posted itHERE .I love how it looks against the blue china!

Lovely old photo, and nicely set on that blue and white plate. It reminds me of a Swedish film I watched on TV only last week... It's about a working class woman in the early 1900s who wins a camera in a lottery and grows to love it... Here's an IMDb link that will tell you more:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0961066/

I had read that they didn't smile because they had to hold their pose and remain quite still, up to a full minute (long exposure times back then). It was too hard to hold a smile, hence the usual sad stiff look. (I'm sure bad teeth was a factor too, as another poster mentioned.)

I have bought old frames with pictures still in them. I too wonder about the people in the photos and how the photos end up in a flea market. Kind of sad.

It's odd to see those early photographs of people not smiling but it was explained on some television program about early photography that the process of taking a photo took so long that people just grew tired of smiling. I wonder if that's true?

I like your thought about living an examined life, Mary. I would like to think that, if many years from now, someone came across an old photo of me, they would find a noble story behind that photo. Thank you for this inspiration!

How precious that frame and photo...I'm always jealous of peoples old photos because neither of my parents had a lot of family photos to pass down. They both came from large families with 11 and 12 siblings so I'm guessing that there was just not enough money to take family photos. Be sure to check out my new Honey Pump if you get a chance...I love it! Thanks for hosting as always Mary and hope that you have a wonderful week. Fondly, Roberta

Mary what a beautiful post! That miniature picture frame is adorable...what a wonderful treasure to find. I find myself doing the same thing when I see old photo's in antique stores. Your post has made me think of some of the photo's I have of my Nana who was a surgical nurse in England during WWI. I think I may do a post about them one of these days. Thank you for making me think of them and for sharing your wonderful find. I'll be back to Mosaic Monday soon. Get well soon.Maura :)

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I am a 50-something reluctant housewife (I'd rather be an international supermodel or a forest ranger or a jockey), mother of two great but sometimes annoying kids ages 25 and 21, and wife to a funny, hard-working attorney.

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